


Runaway

by sgtcalhouns



Category: Wreck-It Ralph (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 17:05:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17811992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgtcalhouns/pseuds/sgtcalhouns
Summary: Parenting makes celebrating romantic holidays a bit more challenging.





	Runaway

“What are you and Felix going to do for Valentine’s Day?” Candlehead asked.

“I don’t think we’ve got any big plans this year,” Tamora answered.

The pair were seated at the kitchen table as Felix prepared breakfast at the stove. The small girl frowned at Tamora’s answer.

“How come?”

“Well, we’re pretty tired from chasing you kids around all day,” she teased, giving the girl a nudge. “And besides, there wouldn’t be anybody around to keep an eye on you.”

“But don’t you want to do something special?” she asked, a flash of guilt in her eyes.

“Trust me, Felix has already given me ten years’ worth of Valentine’s Days,” Tamora replied. Felix smiled at her over his shoulder. “I’ve had enough flowers and chocolate to last a lifetime.”

“And we can always celebrate another night,” Felix chimed in as he carried over a plate of pancakes. “The date on the calendar isn’t nearly as important as making time for the one you love all year round.”

He set the plate down on the table and leaned in toward Tamora, smiling as he brushed his nose against hers. Candlehead crinkled her own nose in disgust as Tamora captured Felix’s lips in a kiss that seemed to last an eternity. Felix was noticeably flustered when she pulled away, having forgotten for a moment that they were still in the presence of the candy-coated girl. The subject was quickly changed as the other racers filed in and he began serving breakfast, but Candlehead wasn’t able to shake the unpleasant feeling that she and the other racers were getting in the way of Felix and Tamora’s life.

By the time Valentine’s Day rolled around a few days later, Felix had forgotten all about his earlier conversation with Candlehead. As a result, it confused him when he went to check in on the racers and found that she was not with the rest of the group. Figuring she must have gone outside, he left the apartment, assuming he would find her playing in one of her favorite spots by the lake. When he didn’t find her there either, he began to worry. Heading back inside, he asked the other racers if they had seen her today.

“She was totally being weird this morning,” Taffyta said, her tone lacking any sort of concern for her friend.

“I saw her packing a bag, but she wouldn’t tell me where she was going,” Gloyd chimed in. 

“What?!” Felix asked in horror. “How long ago was this?”

“A while ago, after breakfast.”

“Oh my land,” Felix gasped as he realized what had happened. 

He rushed into the living room, making a beeline for Tamora. His frantic entrance captured her attention and she eyed him with concern.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Candlehead ran away,” Felix answered frantically. “Gloyd saw her pack a bag earlier but he doesn’t know where she went.”

“Where would she go?” Tamora asked, wracking her brain for ideas.

“Back to Sugar Rush, maybe?” Felix suggested. Now that their game had been plugged back in, the racers technically didn’t need Felix and Tamora anymore, but the group had become so close that they had decided to stay in Fix-It Felix Jr. when the arcade was closed. “I just don’t understand why she would do this. Did we do something wrong?”

Tamora paused, thinking back on her recent interactions with Candlehead. Everything seemed fine, although she had noticed that the young racer had been much more concerned about hers and Felix’s personal lives in the past few days. Suddenly, it dawned on her.

“No, we didn’t,” she answered. “But she thinks she did. Come on, let’s go find her.”

The couple hurried over to Sugar Rush in the hopes of finding their missing racer. After searching high and low throughout the game, they began to think she must have run off to a different game. They had searched every room in the castle, the candy tree forest, and each racetrack, but they all turned up empty. Feeling hopeless, they began to wander aimlessly across the game’s vast, sugary landscape. 

As they neared Diet Cola Mountain, Felix paused for a moment to rest. He attempted to lean up against the mountain, only to fall straight through its surface. Upon hearing his yelp of surprise as he somehow found himself inside the mountain, Tamora followed him, carefully stepping through the hidden entrance. They barely had any time to process what had just happened when they heard sniffling nearby. Getting up off the ground, Felix headed toward the sound with Tamora close behind. Around the corner, in Vanellope’s old makeshift bed, was Candlehead, bundled up in old candy wrappers and fighting back tears.

“Candlehead, there you are!” Felix said, heaving a sigh of relief as he approached her. “We’ve been worried sick!”

“Leave me alone,” she mumbled, burying her face in the wrappers.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Felix asked, drawing closer to the girl. 

She didn’t answer, offering only a loud sniffle in response. Felix looked over his shoulder at Tamora, who had walked up behind him. She took a seat next to him in front of the bed and gave him a knowing glance before speaking up.

“Is this about today being Valentine’s Day?” Tamora asked as gently as she could muster.

Candlehead hesitated before nodding her head.

“You guys aren’t celebrating it because of us,” the girl finally spoke. “It’s our fault you aren’t doing anything for Valentine’s Day. We’re just getting in the way of your life.”

“That’s not true,” Felix said in a firm but gentle voice. It almost physically pained him to find that this is what had caused Candlehead to run away–he never wanted her or any of the racers to feel like a burden. “Having you kids in our home has only added to our life together. We wouldn’t trade you for anything.”

“Sure, things have changed since we took you guys in, but only for the better,” Tamora added. “Now, I can’t even imagine my life without you little cavities in it.”

Candlehead giggled at the nickname, knowing it had been used out of love. Felix and Tamora heaved a sigh of relief at the small smile on her face. 

“You mean it?” she asked.

“Absolutely,” Tamora answered.

“We care about you more than you know,” Felix said. “And as for today, Valentine’s Day is all about love, so I say we all go home together so we can celebrate with all the people we love.”

After returning home, Felix and Tamora spent the entire day with the racers, talking, laughing, and playing. Felix was even coaxed into the passenger seat of Candlehead’s car as she drove recklessly down the street of East Niceland. He may have been a bit frazzled when he stepped out of the vehicle, but he also had to admit that it had been thrilling. As the day drew to a close, they all headed back inside for dinner; but before they could sit down, Candlehead gathered everyone in the living room to make an announcement.

“We talked it over and decided to give you guys a present for Valentine’s Day,” she said proudly. “We’re all going next door to Ralph’s house for a while so you can have a special dinner together.”

“You all don’t have to do that,” Felix said, touched by the thought behind their gift. “We’re more than happy to spend our evening with you.”

“Too bad,” Taffyta piped up. “We’re going whether you like it or not. But I don’t wanna see any gross kissing when we get back.”

“I can’t make any promises,” Tamora smirked.

The racers soon hurried out of the apartment, suddenly worried that they might end up witnessing some of that “gross kissing” before they could leave. Felix turned toward Tamora, a soft smile on his face.

“You know, we’ve got some pretty wonderful children,” he said.

“I’ll say,” she smiled.

“So, what would you like for dinner, lady love?”

“I was thinking maybe we skip dinner and get straight to some alone time,” she said, relishing the deep blush that appeared on her husband’s cheeks. She leaned down to kiss him, sweeping her tongue into his mouth before pulling away. Felix was completely breathless when she released him. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Felix craned his neck to watch her as she sauntered to their bedroom, shedding clothes along the way. Happy Valentine’s Day, indeed.


End file.
